animals still wont follow when going up or down a block

Title says it. When having any animal follow you back to your house and you have to go up (or down) a block, or many blocks, you have to wait for them to realize that you still have food in your hand and they usually go back up a block so when they go back down following you they stop following you. The same thing for going back up a block as well. This is with every block that goes up or down even if you just had them follow you.